Prefecture

Fuchigami Micro Co., Ltd. (Kagoshima City) Development of New Products and the New Market Cultivation based on their Precision Processing Technology

Fujita Works Company Limited (Kirishima City) High Accuracy Precision Sheet Metal Processing for Semiconductors, LC Manufacturing Equipment, etc.

ELM Inc. ( City) Development of the world’s first fully-automatic wet-type optical disc repair system

372 Fuchigami Development of New Micro Co., Ltd. Products and the New 3-1 Nanei, Market Cultivation based Kagoshima City on their Precision Processing Technology Established in 1979 TEL +81-99-269-4121

http://www.f-micro.co.jp/ Susumu Ueda President

Fuchigami Micro Co., Ltd. holds the world’s top share in the area of Color Filter’s photo mask for the mid to small size Color LCD. Utilizing its mask technology, they provide the precision etching products and screen masks to the global markets.

Entering into the IC related fields by applying its printing technologies.

Fuchigami Printing Co., Ltd. established in 1975 is the parent organization of Fuchigami Micro Co., Ltd. Since then, they moved into the IC related business such as Photo Mask, Etching and Screen Mask utilizing its printing technologies. Their key technologies include masking, melting and coating. In addition they are capable of very precise processing. They holds about 20% of the global market share in the area of STN Color LCD(super twisted nematic color liquid crystal) used for a cellular phone and other applications.

Development of a Magnetic Head and Suspension

Using the regional new consortium (amended in the fiscal year 1998 to 1999 by METI), Fuchigami Micro developed a magnetic head and suspension. And then, they developed and established a mass production system for CFSA (Circuit Flex Suspension Assembly) unifying a wiring circuit from a magnetic head and a magnetic suspension They made it possible by innovating the various kinds of newly developed processes such as highly-reliable multi-layered technology, polyimide resin etching, alignment and gold-plating. Also, they are developing original products such as heat-spreader and prober by utilizing the technology obtained in the consortium.

Thin heat spreader

Ultrafine prober Load: 5 g Stroke: more than 30μｍ Pitch: 50 μｍ Wick (Cu) Line: 20 μｍ Steam Heat resistance: less than 1℃/W diffusion Thickness of jig: 1-2 mm channels External size: 40 x 40 mm

373 Fujita Works High Accuracy Precision Company Limited

Sheet Metal Processing 11-27, Techno-park, Kokubu-Uenohara, for Semiconductors, LC Kirishima City, Manufacturing Kagoshima Prefecture

Equipment, etc. Established in 1990 TEL +81-995-46-6100 Koji Fujita, http://www.fujitaworks.com President

Principally, Fujita Works specializes in precision sheet metal processing technology for semiconductors requiring accuracy and LC manufacturing equipment. Fujita Works has also obtained the world’s top share with its original facilities and know-how in the work piece processing of products made from nickel and titanium in a plant industry. From a handy man to semiconductor and LD specialist

In 1945, Shuji Fujita, the father of the existing president founded this company working as a handy man. At that time, he was mainly engaged in business activities in the can manufacturing industry. After the existing president, Koji Fujita, succeeded his father’s business, he made the switch to the precision sheet plate industry. At present, Fujita Works, in particular, specializes in high accuracy precision metal plate processing for semiconductors requiring high accuracy technology and LC manufacturing equipment. The company consists of 90 employees whose average age of 28 years old, and it is thus an organization with an energetic working environment.

Advantage of full exploitation of state-of-the-art equipment

Fujita Works updates facilities by introducing state-of-the-art processing equipment on an as needs basis. But state-of-the-art equipment is not enough, and technical know-how for using state-of-the-art equipment is also required. Fujita Works has acquired technical know-how through a continuous trial and error process. It has managed to realize product processing technologies that other companies cannot imitate, including thin plate TIG welding (a kind of arc welding which becomes more difficult the thinner the plate becomes). It has realized processing involving technical capabilities and skills and has acquired a global market share in the field of plant processing of nickel and titanic materials. Moreover, it is able to respond to high-mix low-volume production amounting to 100,000 items per month and has established a history of providing quality to customers with a fraction defective rate of 0.0042%.

Collaboration with local SMEs Fujita Works is working on establishing a horizontal connection among local SMEs in collaboration with ELM Inc. (Minamisatsuma-shi, Kagoshima), which has acquired a global market share of over 80% for DVD/CD polishing machines. For example, Fujita Works undertakes all the manufacturing and assembling of ELM’s polishing machines.

0.6-mm SUS material was Simultaneous welding of Mechanical clock made welded and then molded. five layers of different only by laser cutting This cannot be metals manufactured by vacuum beam or YAG welding.

374 ELM Inc. Development of the 15248-11 Kasedatakeda, world’s first Minamisatsuma City, fully-automatic wet-type Kagoshima Prefecture

optical disc repair system Established in 1980 TEL +81-993-53-6930

http://www.elm.co.jp/ Takakazu Miyahara President ELM challenges the global market with its self-developed products. It currently sells in 23 countries the world’s first fully-automatic wet-type optical disc repair system, which has dramatically shortened polishing time..

Dramatically shortened repair time with the use of sand paper

ELM has developed on its own terms and currently sells the world’s first fully-automatic wet-type optical disc repair system, which polishes the surface of CDs and DVDs that have become unreadable due to scratches and stains to make them reusable. The market consists of CD and video rental shops, secondhand disc distributors and libraries throughout the world. Owing to fully-automatic wet-type polishing with the use of sand paper and water, scratches of 0.01 mm depth can be repaired in only four to five minutes, though it takes more than 30 minutes to repair such scratches using a conventional system. At the same time, flat repair technology, which was considerably difficult to develop, enables restoration and repair of DVDs Three types of optical disc several times, though DVDs are difficult to repair repeatedly. repair systems Occupying a share of 90% through sales alliance with partners around the world

ELM is highly valued in and abroad for the speed of repair and stable flat repair technology, and it has concluded distributorship agreements with partners in Japan, South Korea, Spain and the United States. It has also expanded its sales network to include 23 countries around the world through global alliance. It occupies a share of over 85% in the global market for fully-automatic optical disc polishing systems.

Leading agro-industrial collaboration through an integrated system from designing to commercialization

Against the backdrop of Kagoshima prefecture being based on the primary industry, ELM has so far commercialized an automatic sorter for agricultural products, a traceability system for pork, and a pest counter that won the “Award for development of new machines by SMEs in Japan.” Carrying out development and designing as well as commercialization, ELM continues to create products that are unique to Minami-Kyushu in collaboration with local producers and companies, as well as products in the high-tech fields.

ELM’s global sales network and self-developed products, including products created through agro-industrial collaboration 375